Asthma Inhaler Safety

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Reader Question: I have asthma and heard that the FDA is banning some asthma drugs. Which ones should I avoid?

First of all, never stop taking any medication (especially one that impacts your ability to breathe!) without talking to your doctor. But if you use Serevent (salmeterol) or Foradil (formoterol), you should contact your doctor as soon as possible, because an FDA advisory committee recently voted to ban them. These drugs are long-acting beta antagonists, which reduce spasms in the airways. While some people do feel better while using them, experts have determined that these drugs may increase the severity of asthma attacks and up the risk of asthma-related death.

If you take Advair (salmeterol-fluticasone) or Symbicort (budesonide-formoterol), you should also consult your doctor. Right now they aren't being banned, because the benefits seem to outweigh the negatives. However, these also contain a long-acting beta antagonist, in addition to a steroid medication. Experts say that the benefits are mostly coming from the steroids, which reduce inflammation. Your doctor may tell you to keep taking Advair or Symbicort, but she might suggest switching to something that only has a steroid (such as Flovent).

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